The online degree has grown in popularity and provides people with an option to continue their education while taking into consideration their personal life which might otherwise prevent them from completing a degree.

As a recruiter I have seen where non-post secondary graduates have suffered when compared to their counterparts who hold a college or university degree.

I have worked with companies who won't hire people who don't hold a university degree so not having one can certainly hold you back.

The rise of the Internet has of course opened up many new options for people and online education is just one of them.

Ive read statistics that show that college and university graduates earn an average of 75% more income than high school graduates so certainly the value of a degree is obvious but what about a degree earned online?

I know a job searcher who I helped place in a large multinational corporation and she completed an online degree a Masters in Business Administration something she wouldnt have been able to do through a regular university because of her busy life.

As a single mother who was working she simply wouldnt have had the time to complete a regular degree during daytime hours so the online option worked for her.

Her example shows how pursuing an online degree can provide flexibility that a traditional university degree might not.

Since the degree that she ended up getting actually helped her get her next job, it was certainly something that paid immediate dividends and is something that will continue to pay her dividends into the future.

Here are some considerations regarding the online degree option that you might think about when deciding whether or not to pursue one:

Are you motivated enough?

People that pursue an online education must be self-motivated because youre not attending classes and do your work from home over the Internet. You dont have a professor or fellow classmates pushing you so you need to motivate yourself. Can you do this?

What is the quality of the school and program youre interested in?

The online degree option has a bit of a stigma attached because they are a relatively new learning option and many people might not fully understand how they are delivered. Plus, if youve ever received a spam email advertising an online degree (I received two such emails this week alone) you might be turned off by a product that advertises by spamming.

Like anything else in life, there are good and bad options so the key is to find a school and program that is well-regarded. Long-distance education isnt new but delivering it over the Internet is.

Long-distance education is simply just a different option for people to consider and an online degree is simply using the latest technology to deliver it.

Do you require flexibility in order to complete a degree?

If you have a family, attending classes during the day or evening might not be an option for you. Therefore, the flexibility that an online education offers you could be the option you need to continue your education but still keep the other parts of your life organized.

Are you already working and cant take the time off to complete a degree?

If you are already working and cant quit your job, the option of an online degree can be very tempting since you can often structure things so that you continue working as usual but complete your degree in your own time. You cant beat that!

Are you happy to work at your own pace?

One of the benefits that an online degree affords is something that will be very attractive to people that prefer to work to their own timetable and dont like the structure that traditional classroom learning dictates.

Some people might prefer to work to deadlines set by other people to keep them motivated and on track but pursuing an online degree enables you to finish your work at your own pace for the most part.

One of the things that people often complain about especially after theyve left school is the rigidity of traditional educational outlets ie. going to classes at certain times, completing assignments by certain dates, traveling to and from school, etc.

Some people simply get used to working to more flexible schedules once they get into the work world and find that the thought of going back to school to pursue a traditional education defined by schedules that they didnt set up is difficult to imagine. For these and other people, an online degree is certainly an option that is worth at least looking at.

Carl Mueller

My name is Carl Mueller and I'd like to thank you for learning a bit more about me!

I feel that I have numerous relevant experiences during my career that come in useful when helping people with their careers:

I know what it?s like to work internationally, having worked overseas (in New Zealand, from 1994-1998).

I've survived several corporate downsizings while many of my colleagues were being laid off.

I have also experienced being laid off twice myself during corporate downsizings.

I know what it?s like to be self-employed.

I've helped many people find better jobs. I started to work as a professional recruiter in 2000 first as an Information Technology (IT) recruiter and then in general recruitment across many industries including IT, manufacturing and marketing. Since this time, I have helped many people find their dream career and it?s a great feeling.

I experienced one of the slowest hiring periods in recent memory especially during the general hiring slowdown that followed the Y2K frenzy in 1999, the bursting of the dot com bubble in early 2000, and then the employment market bottoming out following September 11, 2001.

These were certainly not great times to be a job searcher in most industries nor was it a particularly good time to be a recruiter.

Following this, I began running the day to day operations of an Internet-based company in early 2003 that focused on developing online software and subscription-based websites for consumers. It was then that I fully realized the power, usefulness and potential of the Internet which really spurred me to set up my own website which you can view in my Personal URL section below this bio.

I?m also a Platinum Ezine Articles Expert as recognized by EzineArticles.com, one of the most visited websites on the Internet. This special designation is earned by having consistently high-quality articles published and viewed on their website. All of my submissions are related to helping you find your dream career and many of my articles get reproduced on other websites by their webmasters.

Good luck with your career and I hope I have been of assistance to you!